


Nèizài Měi: Daughter of Po

by cosplaydoofus



Category: Kung Fu Panda (Movies)
Genre: Dreamworks, F/M, Family Bonding, Family Drama, Family Fluff, Kung Fu, Post-Kung Fu Panda 3
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2020-03-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:15:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22993813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosplaydoofus/pseuds/cosplaydoofus
Summary: There's a new generation of martial artists in China, and Nèizài Měi (reluctantly) stands above all of them.Growing up in the Jade Palace alongside the Furious Five (Not to mention, the Dragon Warrior), Nèizài's life isn't all dumplings and skipping rocks. She has it the hardest in her school. Being connected to the bloodline of the Dragon Warrior doesn't mean anything but taunts and troubles for this tiger cub. However, things take a turn when she meets Zheng, son of Tai Lung.Nèizài now faces more than one challenge. Not only must she convince her family to accept this leopard, but she must also figure out how he arrived in the first place.And, she'll need to avoid her father, in order to do so.When Po finds out his little girl is falling for the son of the enemy (and falling fast, for that matter), chaos breaks loose as the young tigress's father goes as far as to prevent her from traveling anywhere except to the Jade Palace after school ends.Now, Nèizài and Zheng have no choice but to keep their growing bond a secret, if only to protect the tigress's newfound friend from the wrathful paws of the panda.It's all fun and games until the Dragon begins to breathe fire.
Relationships: OC/OC, Po/Tigress (Kung Fu Panda)
Kudos: 5





	1. Prologue

I was six.

This was as far back as I could remember. I was in bed.

Ah, my bed was comfy. It was so _nice_ , and _warm_ , and the covers were my shield of protection against the forces of the cold wind that blew through the dividers, into my room. I was so happy, so relieved to not have to face another day of-

"Nèizài! Nèizài, get up!"

Yank.

The covers were off.

I shivered, groaning as I opened my tiny emerald eyes. I turned around on my mat to see the giant, black and white figure standing over me, holding the shield that I oh-so needed to fight the cold breeze.

The woven divider to my barrack was now wide open, and I could see the daylight breaking into my room through the window.

"You're gonna be late! Come on!" Daddy had urged on, standing me up. Mama wasn't here to help me get dressed, so Daddy had to do it. Mama had been training. She was a Kung Fu master. Both of my parents were.

"If I don't get you to school on time, your mom's gonna kill _both_ of us," my giant father had explained. "Ugh, your shirt's on backwards again, Nèizài."

I always had a habit of dressing the wrong way.

My dad seemed to swear that he was raising a nudist.

He'd shuffle back into my room, dragging me in and closing the door behind him so he could fix my top. After doing so, he dragged me back out and over to the other side of the Jade Palace to kiss my mother goodbye.

"Daddy, I wanna stay home," I said. Most parents would have been surprised that I was speaking so clearly at six years old. My own parents weren't. My mother had taught me to use precise grammar and wording. She always wanted me to have precision and clear-thinking.

Daddy would always get into an argument with her. I'd always lay on my mat at bedtime until Mama's footsteps were out of earshot. I'd get up, and check outside my door to see if Crane or Viper were awake. They could hear me a mile away, and either one would be sure to plop me right back onto my mat and snitch to Mama about how I was out of bed late at night.

When I knew that neither one could hear, I would tip-toe out of the barracks. I had done it several times. I knew exactly where the floorboards would creak, and how to avoid making any noises. I'd sneak up to the training hall, and listen from behind the door as Daddy and Mama went at it, again.

"She's a little kid!" Daddy would exclaim. "At least give her an action figure, or a doll or _something_! She needs to have a childhood of her _own_!"

"She doesn't _need_ a doll," Mama would argue back. "She needs to be know how to defend herself in case you and I aren't here to protect her, one day. An action figure will not help her to achieve that."

"That day's not going to come anytime _soon_ , Tigress." Daddy continued. "She's not going to have to worry about it! Not as long as we're _both_ here!"

"And, what if we're _not_ both here, Po?!" 

"Then, she has Shifu! She's _never_ gonna be alone, Tigress! Besides, all she wants is someone to be a normal kid with! Do you even realize how many times she's told me she doesn't wanna go to school?! She needs to be allowed to grow up the way _she_ wants to! She needs friends, freedom to explore her surroundings!"

"She doesn't need any friends to be a kid, Po!"

"Like _you_ didn't?"

Then, things would be quiet, _really_ quiet.

"She's going to school, and that's _final_." Mama declared.

"We're giving her tomorrow off." Daddy would try to overrule. I could hear the whipping sound as Mom turned on her feet to face him.

"She's _going_ to _school_!" Mama would repeat. " _I'm her mother_!"

"And you think that title gives you some kind of _power_?!" 

More silence took over the room. 

I could hear Daddy begin to walk out of the training hall, but not before adding his last two cents.

"My daughter's _not_ going to be hurt because of her mother's refusal to see things in a different light."

"Po."

Daddy would storm out of the hall, and I'd be gone, skipping anxiously back to bed, not bothering to care about all the creaking of the barrack floors. When I slid into my mat and pulled the covers on, I'd simply stare at the ceiling, until I heard my door creak open. I'd close my eyes and hear creaking, before feeling my dad's presence over me. I'd then feel his paw stroke down my cheek as his lips touched my forehead.

I'd hear someone say something as he closed the door behind him after leaving my room.

"She snuck out again, Po."

"Nèizài!"

I'd pretend to be asleep, as to avoid my father's late-night wrath.


	2. Chapter 2

I always traveled with Daddy to Yéyé Ping's noodle shop. Daddy told me that he grew up in the apartment above the shop. I seemed to grow adjusted to the scent of hot noodles after taking more than one trip to Yéyé's. Mama didn't come with us often. She liked the training hall a lot better than the noodle shop.

One morning, Daddy and I decided to stop by on the way to school. Yéyé's eyes lit up almost _immediately_ at seeing Daddy and me.

"Po!" he exclaimed, before his hazel eyes found my green ones. Yéyé always told me that as alike as I looked to Mama, I still had Daddy's eyes.

"My little Nèizài Měi!" he gasped, picking me up as I failed to restrain from giggling. "Look at how much you've grown!"

Daddy chuckled.

"Dad, we visited just last week." he said.

"Oh, what does that matter?" Yéyé asked. "You'd be surprised how fast _you_ used to grow, Po."

He sighed.

"Ah, I miss when you were my little panda." he continued, seemingly about to cry.

" _Dad_..." Daddy trailed off in a whine.

"I know, I know," said Yéyé. "Anyhow, is my little Sūnnǚ hungry?"

"We ate at the Jade Palace." Daddy informed.

"Ah, I see," said Yéyé. "Well, are you all ready for school, Nèizài?"

"I don't wanna go to school," I whined. "Daddy, why can't we go back?"

"You know how your mom is, Nèizài," Daddy explained. "Besides, Miss Shenyang almost sent out a search party the last time we were late."

"Why doesn't she want to go to school?" Yéyé asked.

"Ya know, why don't _you_ tell us, Nèizài?" Daddy asked, crossing his arms. I shrugged, sitting at one of Yéyé's tables.

"Everyone is mean to me." I said, resting my head on the table, and scratching lightly at it with my claw. Daddy stared at me a minute before sitting across from me and holding my paw.

"Why are they mean to you?" he asked. I watched Yéyé walk over to us, and stand between us. I looked back to Daddy.

"They keep saying that I'm spoiled and stuff because-..." I cut myself off, closing my mouth and resting my paw on Daddy's. Daddy's paw was a lot bigger than mine. I sometimes liked to sit on his lap and trace the pads in his paws while we watched Mama and Crane on the Jade Tortoise in the training hall.

Daddy bowed his head so our eyes were level with each other's. I liked Daddy's eyes. It wasn't hard to understand what others meant when they said I had his eyes.

"Because...what?" he asked. I opened my mouth to answer, but closed it, hesitantly.

"Nèizài?" he asked. "Why do they think that you're spoiled?"

My eyes suddenly became interested in the dirty ground beneath the table. They looked back up to him, restraining any tears. I didn't like hurting Daddy. I didn't like hurting anyone--at least, not the ones who didn't deserve it.

"Because...you're my dad." I finally answered, though my voice had fallen quiet. Daddy began staring at me again. His expression changed from a confused one to a saddened one, and I watched his lips form into a frown.

"Nèizài..." he trailed off. I heard him stand up, as I covered my head with my arms. I could feel my seat at the table sink a little.

Then, I felt myself being lifted up. Daddy sat me on his lap, and I crawled up his belly, wrapping my arms around his neck. I then felt his arms around my torso as I hugged him tight.

"Wǒ ài nǐ, Nèizài."

"Wǒ ài nǐ, Bà."

...

_10 Years Later..._

...

I was sixteen, wearing my mom's old, red Chinese vest, waist wrap and black silk pants. The black sandals hurt my feet---I used to go without sandals wherever I went; the little rocks and pebbles rarely caused any pain---but, I finally got in trouble for not wearing shoes by my mother. I'd worn the sandals since then.

"Nèizài!" Mom called. She and I got along more often than when I was younger, but she still trained a lot more often than she conversed. I groaned, stumbling into the barracks kitchen. The Five were already seated and eating, while Dad was at the counter, still cooking. I bowed to Mom, my left palm resting against my right fist.

"Good morning, Mother." I said, sneaking a dumpling, as I attempted to join Dad. I was just about to bite into it, when I heard Mom speak up.

"And, to the _Five_?" Mother asked, and I could feel her smiling behind my back. I turned around, hiding the dumpling behind myself and giving the Five a smile. I could feel Dad sneakily grabbing the snack from me. I looked to him without turning my head.

He gave me a wink and a smile before looking back inside the pot he was using. I clasped my left palm against my right fist again, and bowed.

"Good morning, Furious Five." I said. They returned my bow, though they didn't stand up. I threw Mom an innocent grin, turning back around.

"You're getting better at your snack-thieving skills," I heard Dad whisper into my ear. "Before you know it, you'll be teaching me."

I stifled a snicker as he gave me back my dumpling, and I took a nice, big bite out of it.

"So, Nèizài," I heard Mom say. "Sleep well?"

I didn't know whether or not to turn around or give Dad back the dumpling, so I did neither. Instead, I nodded.

" 'ike a 'a'e." I answered, my mouth full of dumpling.

"And, I'm guessing you must be really hungry after a long slumber," she said. "Seeing as you've already chosen to go Dumpling Diving."

Dad's eyes grew to be just about as wide as mine were. We looked to each other.

"Your cheeks aren't usually that wide, Nèizài." Mom answered.

 _Curse her sixth sense_ , I thought to myself. I spat out the dumpling, sighing.

"Fine, you caught me," I said. "But, they're _so good_!"

"Aw, thanks, Sweetie." Dad said, and I smiled.

"Good," Mom responded. "Now, I know what temptations to use when I'm training you."

" _Mom_..." I whined.

"Po, the resemblance between the two of you is _uncanny_." Crane spoke up. Dad and I smiled to each other. Something then popped into my brain, as if a reminder from the universe.

"Oh--hey, Dad!" I quickly exclaimed. "Do you have time to train after school? I've been working on some new moves, and I'm ready to take you down!"

I was just about to show off my 'new moves', when my mom grabbed my arm.

"Ah-ah, not in here," she scolded. "Take it to the training hall."

"Yeah, what your mom said," my dad agreed, cracking his knuckles. "Let's take it to the training hall."

"No, Nèizài has to get ready for-- _Nèizài_!" my mom yelled scoldingly as Dad began chasing me down to the training hall. I laughed, dodging any incoming fists. You'd be a fool to think my dad's weight would slow him down. He almost tripped me a few times as we got inside the hall.

"Come at me, old man!" I taunted, backflipping near the swinging clubs. He smirked, punching clubs out of the way as he threw me a roundhouse kick, to which I ducked underneath his leg. There were "ha!"s and "Hiya!"s, as we fought against each other. I jumped into a side-aerial as he tried to slide his leg underneath my feet, and he caught my right leg as I attempted to sidekick him.

As we were busy training (and almost burning ourselves on the Field of Fiery Death), the door burst open. We'd found our way onto the Jade Tortoise by this time, and I'd almost fallen inside it, because of the abruptness of the door opening.

Dad and I gasped.

"Master Shifu!" we simultaneously exclaimed, bowing and clasping our left palms against our right fists. I then heard Dad yell, "Wh-aaah!", as he fell into the Jade Tortoise. I broke out in laughter, pointing at him as Shifu shook his head, sighing.

"Of... _course_ , you are," he muttered aloud, facepalming. "It is good to see that the two of you are awake. How is your... _training_ , I assume?"

I tried to swallow my giggles and answer him, but I couldn't seem to hold back.

"It was...he just...hahahaha!" I laughed, before feeling a paw grab my ankle. I looked down, and immediately stopped laughing. Dad smirked.

"Skadoosh." he said, dragging me in.

"Wait, Dad! No! Aah!" I yelled. "Shifu!"

I could hear Shifu chuckling from outside the tortoise, before hearing someone else.

"Nèizài Měi!" yelled a booming voice. My eyes widened, as I looked to Dad. "Po Shan!"

I watched the grin on Dad's face grow into a bright smile.

"Dad!" he yelled, trying to get up, but the Jade Tortoise kept wobbling and Dad kept flopping right onto his back. It took a few minutes to get him out of the tortoise and onto solid ground again. When he stopped stumbling from dizziness, his smile returned as he hugged Li Shan.

"What are you doing here, Dad?" he asked.

"I came to see a certain someone," Li Shan answered, looking to me. Yéyé Li was even bigger than Dad, but he had the same, emerald-green eyes that my father and I both adorned. "And, _look_ how _she's_ _grown_!"

My smile brightened--most likely as much as Dad's--as I ran up and hugged the giant panda.

"My little Nèizài Měi," said Li. "Though, I guess you're not as _little_ , anymore. Heh-heh."

"It's great to see you, Yéyé." I responded.

"Indeed, it is." Master Shifu added.

"But, it's time for Nèizài to leave." someone else said. We whipped our heads around, to see--

"Mom?" I'd asked, eyes wide. "Shoot! I still have school! Dad!"

"Uh--We're getting ready, Hon!" Dad blurted out, taking my paw and dragging me out the door. "See you, Dad, Master Shifu!"

"No snack stops, Po!" Mom yelled, after us. I laughed as Dad groaned.

...

"I wish I could just skip school," I said. "The others have just gotten worse."

We had just arrived at Miss Shenyang's School of Peace, located in the Valley of Peace. I was hesitant in walking through the wooden arch to the stone-built structure. Dad placed his hands on my shoulders. I had grown taller throughout the past ten years, and I was now the same height as Mom.

"You'll be fine, Nèizài," he said. "You gotta remember to keep your head up; you're the daughter of the Dragon Warrior! How awesome is that?"

"It's not awesome if I have to be bullied for it." I said. Dad frowned, pulling me into a hug.

"Just remember: _we're_ here, even if _they_ aren't." he advised. He gave me a smile, as we heard the gong sound for us to get to our classes.

"I'll see you, later on." he said, kissing my forehead. I nodded, turning to walk inside the building.

"Nèizài."

I turned around.

"Wǒ ài nǐ." said Dad. I smiled, running back and giving him a second hug.

"Wǒ ài nǐ, Fùqīn." I responded, before pulling away and running off to class.

...

"The Zhang Dynasty, from 1046-256 BC, supplanted the Shang, and the central Zhou government began to weaken due to external and internal pressures in the 8th century BC; the country eventually splintered into smaller states during..."

Teacher Bǎihé had been giving a lesson on the Zhou dynasty, though I hadn't been paying much attention. I had been doodling pictures of my parents and I doing Kung Fu together in the training hall, on my scroll. My quill pen had run out of ink, and I had just redipped it when I heard Bǎihé call my name.

"Nèizài Měi?" she called. I looked up to see the small goat's eyes directed at mine. Teacher Bǎihé had icy, blue eyes, and I felt a chill run up my spine every time I looked into them.

"Glad to see that you've been taking notes on the subject," she said. "Would you mind sharing them?"

Suddenly, as if fireworks had been going off in the classroom, my classmates looked right at me, and I could hear a few snickering.

"Uh..." I trailed off. I didn't have time to explain anything before Bǎihé was dragging me to the front of the room. I froze up, staring at the other students before I began to speak.

"Well, uh," I began. "I know that it began with the Shang Dysnasty...and, that the Zhou supplanted the Shang?"

"Anything else?" Bǎihé asked.

_And I'm about to bust your stupid face in_ , I thought. I shook my head.

"Nèizài Měi, as much as we enjoy your artwork, I would advise against showing it off during class." Teacher Bǎihé explained. "Wouldn't want to ruin the reputation of your bloodline."

She gave me a wink, sitting me back down in my wooden desk. I sighed, putting my head down as the other kids laughed at my misery.

Within a span of five minutes, I was doodling again.


	3. Chapter 3

I had returned home to a surprise; there was a stranger in the barracks kitchen.

I'd casually strolled in, not minding anything much. The school day had ended, and I wanted nothing more than to eat and continue training with my father.

When I entered the kitchen, I didn't recognize the new figure sitting at the table with Mom, Crane and the rest of the Furious Five. My father was at his place in front of a heated pot. A glass of Baijiu sat in the middle of the table.

I don't actually know what it was there for, but I'd assumed it was for decoration. I looked to Dad, then to the stranger sitting at our barracks table.

"Nèizài Měi," Mom addressed. "Have you met our guest?"

I looked over at the figure.

He was a leopard.

Grayish-white fur, and small brown spots coated him like a soft-looking blanket. He had blue irises shielded behind yellows scleras. He wore no top, only red silk pants.

I could now see why Dad's back was turned.

When I walked over, he was stirring our noodles slow, and I could see the dark glare on his face.

"Dad?" I'd whispered. He said nothing.

I tapped his shoulder lightly. He _did_ nothing.

He looked ready to send someone flying down the Jade Palace steps.

I looked to the leopard, who (nervously, I'd noted) seemed to have an itch on his neck. My eyes then returned to my panda father, who had stopped stirring the noodles.

"I'll, um..." I managed to squeak out in a low tone, rather than a whisper. "I'll...go talk with him, and...see what...happens."

"Just _sit_ , Nèizài." Father said aloud, and my eyes widened.

I knew it would be a long dinner.

...

We sat around the table saying nothing. Mom seemed to be the only one eating, and she looked as if she were trying to avoid eye contact with Dad, who threw somewhat of a glare towards the visiting leopard every now and then, while slurping down noodles. I leaned over to Viper, whom I sat by to eat.

"Why are things so tense?" I asked, in a whisper. Viper bowed her head slightly before looking over at the leopard, whose expression seemed to change from shy to afraid for his life. Dad hadn't given him a bowl, so he instead sat his paws on his thighs, bowing his head and facing the floor.

"Don't you know who that is?" Viper asked in return. "That's Zheng."

"Zheng?"

"He's the son of Tai Lung."

I froze up, choking on noodle water. Mom raised a brow at me while Monkey clasped his hands over his mouth, stifling a laugh.

"Uh..I was eating too fast." I'd lied, when Dad looked in my direction. He simply shook his head, looking back at the leopard.

"You're dismissed, Nèizài." Dad spoke.

"But, Dad, I-"

" _You're_ _dismissed_." He cut off, and I held back a gulp. I quickly stood up to leave.

"Good luck." I'd whispered to Zheng as I passed him by. Viper and I left together as fast as we could.

Anything to escape my father's rancor.

We'd headed to the training hall, and decided to discuss Zheng there.

"What do you _mean_ 'son of Tai Lung'?" I asked, while punching at one of Mom's swinging clubs. "Tai Lung never _had_ a son, or _any_ family for that matter--according to Dad, at least. Besides, I thought Dad...you know... _defeated_ him."

"He defeated him, alright," Viper answered, while she slithered past flames in the Field of Fiery Death. "But, he didn't _kill_ him. The Wuxi-Finger hold _doesn't_ kill; it _only_ sends its victims to the Spirit realm."

"Then, how did Tai Lung come _back_?" I asked, throwing a roundhouse kick to one of the clubs. "He couldn't have had Zheng unless he was in the mortal realm; besides, Oogway would never have allowed him back in the first place."

"Unless...he _did_."

I stopped training, flipping onto the edge of the hall's courtyard.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Oogway was _wise_ , Nèizài," Viper explained. "Maybe, there was something he saw in Tai Lung once they were both in the Spirit realm."

"That just leaves one more question." I added.

"What's that?" she asked in response.

"Where did Tai Lung find the leopard that conceived Zheng?" I asked, a smirk on my face.

"Why don't you just ask me?" we'd heard another voice ask.

We whipped our heads around, and there stood none other than Zheng himself.

...

Neither Viper nor I knew what to do.

"He let you _go_?" I asked.

"Of course," Zheng answered, and one could hear the sarcasm in his voice. "He also gave me a bouquet of roses and a one-way trip to visit his old panda village. What do _you_ think?"

"Someone's grumpy." I heard Viper mumble.

"How _dare_ you speak in question of me and my heritage," Zheng accused us (though, it wasn't much of an accusation since we actually were talking about Tai Lung). "My father is gone, because of _your_ precious Dragon Warrior!"

He charged at me as Viper watched in what I'd assumed to be terror. My eyes widened and I held my arms up in defense of the roundhouse kick that he'd aimed towards my face.

"Ha!" he yelled as he threw quick hits toward me. I backed toward the edge of the courtyard, almost falling as I ducked under his leg, punching him square in his snout. He yelped, and charged again. I backflipped onto the Jade Tortoise and he followed suit. It didn't take more than a few seconds before we began throwing kicks and hits. I waterspouted beneath his leg and sidekicked him to which he dodged.

"I lost my father because of yours!" he yelled.

"Father did what he had to!" I argued back, ducking underneath his right fist as he attempted to punch me again. I grabbed both of his arms, kicking between his legs and flipping both of us into a sacrifice throw.

"Tai Lung was going to destroy the Valley of Peace!" I continued. "You never would have been born, if he had!"

"I would have been born into a _better_ dynasty if he had!" Shang yelled back, in defense. "Your Master Shifu _broke_ my father! He used to be a _dreamer_! Your bloodline ruined _everything_ Father worked for!"

"Tai Lung wasn't _meant_ to be the Dragon Warrior!" I pointed out as he kicked me off of him, pinning me down. "That was not my father's fault!" 

"Neither was Po!" Zheng argued. "Father told me how he was picked by accident!"

"It wasn't an accident!" I shouted, grabbing at his arms and trying to pry them off of me. "There _are_ _no_ accidents!"

"The Dragon Warrior begs to differ!" Zheng screamed in my face. "He should go back to his stupid noodle shop and just be a fat, stupid panda again!"

"Don't you _dare_ insult my father! _HA_!"

I twisted my leg in between his, throwing him off balance as I roundhouse kicked him in his stomach. He went flying, crashing against the Adversary which bounced him into the Jade Tortoise. He hit the side of the equipment before sinking down. I placed my foot on his chest, panting. He glared up at me, breathing heavily. I returned his glare.

"You fight like a girl." he remarked.

"Thanks," I retorted. "I was taught by the wife of the Dragon Warrior."

"Your father's not the Dragon Warrior." he insisted.

"No, Zheng," I'd corrected. " _Your_ father's not the Dragon Warrior, and I won't let _anyone_ enter into my home and dishonor my family."

Zheng was silent. He looked down at my foot, closed his eyes, bit his lip, and sighed.

"Wǒ tóuxiáng." he responded.

"Wǒ tóuxiáng" meant "I surrender". I nodded, helping him up.

"My dad didn't _want_ to defeat yours, Zheng," I explained. "But, if he _hadn't_ , no one else would be alive today; Tai Lung would have started with the Valley of Peace, and finished with the last edge of China."

He nodded.

"I miss him," he said. "I...I don't tell anyone that...You're a good fighter."

"As are you." I'd returned.

"Heh..." he trailed off. "First time that I've been complimented by a pretty girl."

I smiled a bit, at hearing that.

"Most pretty girls aren't attracted to young, male leopards who want to hurt the daughter of a celebrity."

He chuckled lightly before we heard the door to the training hall (which, I'd never known was closed) slam open. We whipped our heads around to see Viper slithering in.

"Nèizài! It's your father!" Viper yelled. "He's looking for-"

She cut herself off, looking at Zheng, whose eyes were wide as the dinner bowls we had been using back in the barracks kitchen. It...wasn't exactly a good time for Viper to visit. Zheng and I were still holding paws from when I'd helped him back onto his feet. Viper's eyes were about as wide as his.

"Did something happen while I was gone?" she asked. Zheng and I looked to each other and immediately let go, bowing our heads and looking at the floor, paws behind our backs. We then heard a familiar voice.

"Where is he?!"

"Po, calm down! We'll find him!"

"I swear, if he hurts Nèizài in _any_ way-"

"Po, relax."

"Don't tell me to relax, Crane!"

I looked up at Zheng.

"You have to go!" I'd warned, lowering my voice. "He could kill you, Zheng!"

"There's no time!" he argued. "They're heading up the steps, right now!"

I looked around, before realizing:

The barrels.

"You have to hide," I informed. "And, I know _exactly_ where."

I took his paw, quickly leading him towards the barrels sitting at the back of the hall.

"I can't fit in there!" Zheng argued.

"You're gonna have to unless you wanna be pounded into the floorboards!" I remarked. Zheng smirked.

"You're cute when you're being protective," he joked. "You know that?"

"Stop _flirting_ and start _fitting_!" I scolded.

" _Alright_ , alright, I'm _going_!"

"They're getting closer!" Viper warned.

"Viper! I heard you!" Father yelled.

" _Viper_!" I scolded.

"You weren't looking!" she yelled, defensively. I took Zheng's paws, holding them tight. He was right about one thing: he couldn't get his big, leopard butt inside the barrel. I had climbed up on him, trying to push him in when something---some _one_ \---scared the daylights out of me.

"Nèizài Měi!"

_Father_.

Zheng and I slowly turned our heads to the panda, who was obviously livid. His emerald-green eyes were glaring _daggers_ at the both of us, and I could see why: I had begun to sit on Zheng's lap whilst trying to push him into the barrel, and we were still holding paws. My heart pounding, I quickly jumped off of him, pulling him onto his feet.

"Father, I can explain." I tried, but my father's glare remained.

"Nèizài, return to your barracks." he ordered.

"Father-"

" _Return to your barracks_." he scolded.

"Dad, I was just trying to help him-"

"Help him _what_?!" Dad yelled. "Hurt the family that I worked my _tail_ off to protect from his dad?!"

"He's not _like_ Tai Lung!" I argued, defensively. "And, he didn't hurt anyone!...for, the most part."

I held my arm by my side, for that last part.

"For the _most_ _part_?!" Father caught, and he began to charge at Zheng. "What did you do to her?!"

"He didn't do _anything_ , I swear!" I quickly added. "He's not going to attack anyone! Father, _please_ listen to me! He means no harm!"

Thing fell silent, for a moment.

"Po..." Crane trailed off. Dad closed his eyes, and huffed.

"Nèizài, return to your barracks."

"Daddy, please-" I continued to argue, until he interrupted me.

" ** _You do what I say, Nèizài_ _!_** " Father screamed. " ** _I'm your father! Now for Oogway's sake, go back to your room_ _!_** "

I froze in my place, just as everyone else. Watching my dad breathe heavily after screaming, I began to tear up. I clenched my fists, looking up at him. His expression quickly changed as soon as he saw mine.

"Nèizài..." he trailed. "Nèizài, I...I'm sorry."

I looked down at the floor, closing my eyes a moment before locking them with his.

"I've spent... _every_ _day_ , trying to get the others in school to understand how good of a father you are," I explained. "But _now_? I'm beginning to think they were _right_ about you."

I shook my head, shoving past my dad and running out of the training hall.

"Nèizài!" I heard Mother call after me. I ignored her, running back to the barracks. When I got back, I quickly slid into my room, slamming the doors shut and throwing myself on my mat before letting the tears slip free from my eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

I hadn't spoken to Dad since our fight. He would greet me in the barracks kitchen, only to be ignored as I snarfed down breakfast and left for school. Mom and Viper tried to get me to talk things out, but alike to my mother, when my mind was made up there was no changing it.

"You guys have never argued like that before, Nèizài; at least _try_ to speak with him."

"He's your _dad_ ; what if something happens to him, and the last thing you guys did was fight?"

"You're just being stubborn."

Nothing was working.

Friday morning.

I loved Fridays, because they were the last school-days of each week. I groaned as I got up; though there were bruises and scratches from the fight with Zheng, the pain never really kicked in until this morning. Passing into the kitchen, I paid no mind to the giant panda cooking breakfast. I sat at the table rather than sneaking a dumpling as usual. Dad came over and sat my plate down in front of me.

"Morning," he greeted. "Ready for the weekend, aren't ya?"

I didn't respond to that. I simply began eating, not bothering to look at neither him nor the Five. I'm guessing Mom noticed, because she nudged my side a little. I swallowed, and looked up at her.

" _What_?" I asked, a bit on the rude side if I were truly honest with myself.

"Have you greeted the Five, yet?" she asked. I rolled my eyes, giving them a half-hearted wave before returning to my plate.

Dad knocked his hand on the table lightly, I assumed to get my attention.

"Hey," he said. "You may not be talking to me, but treat the others with some respect. You're mad at me, not them."

I rolled my eyes _again_ (to which Monkey exchanged a light glare) and plastered an obviously fake smile on my face.

" _Hello_ , Five." I greeted, sarcastically.

Dad didn't miss a beat in scolding me for that one.

"What is your problem?!" he asked--without hesitation, I'd noted.

I stood abruptly from my chair, pushing it back and slamming my hands on the table, glaring daggers at the panda.

"Right now, _you're_ my problem!" I yelled back, ignoring the gaping mouths surrounding the table, not including my mother.

"She asked you to say "Good Morning"! Is that so _hard_ for you all of a sudden?!"

"The only hard thing I'm dealing with right now is _you_ breathing down my neck over a greeting!"

"I wouldn't be if you just did it in the _first_ place!" he pointed out.

"Maybe I'm not in the _mood_ for it!" I remarked. "Geez, when did you get so _annoying_?!"

"Nèizài!" Mom scolded.

"Don't "Nèizài" me!" I yelled, and it didn't take more than half a second for Mom to stand up.

"Tigress, _don't_." Viper warned.

"No, _let_ her," I egged on. "She obviously thinks it still scares me, let me show her how much it-"

"Hey!" Dad piped up, pointing a big, furry finger at me. "That's my _wife_ ; show her some respect!"

"Respect, respect, respect!" I mocked. "It's all about respect unless _you're_ the one in charge, isn't it? Well, leave me _out_ of it!"

"Guys, it's eight in the morning," Mantis informed. "Are you _really_ doing this, now?"

"Shut up, bean pod." I retorted.

"Nèizài!" Dad yelled.

"Whatever!" I finally burst out. "I don't need to bow to the likes of _you_!"

"Long as you're in this palace you _do_!" the panda growled, setting down the pan he was using.

That did it.

"Then, maybe I'll just _leave_!" I warned.

"You do that!" he shot back, and I hitched my breath, placing a paw against my chest as the kitchen fell silent. It didn't seem too difficult for him to realize what he had said, because his angry expression quickly shifted into a look of fear.

"Oh--Nèizài! I didn't mean--..."

I held back hot tears and knitted my brows, shoving past him and slamming open the kitchen door, storming off.

I ignored my dad's calls.

~~~

I skipped school. It wasn't the first time that I'd done it, before. I usually only skipped when I wasn't feeling well. It was my escape, when I was little and didn't wanna go. I had learned how to climb at a young age and became quite the professional at it, when I reached eight years old.

However, I quickly discovered that I would need to avoid Yéye Ping's noodle shop during school hours. He was as much a snitch as Crane and Viper were when I was really young.

I'd skipped out the second that first block had been dismissed, sneaking through the back door of the school. From there on, I'd casually strolled along the roofs of buildings, unable to think of a good place to go. I stayed away from view of the village streets, however, because the school was close to the noodle shop and the last thing I needed was Ping sending The Great Fat One a scroll about how his tigress daughter had been spotted roof-walking during the period of time where I was supposed to be locked in a room full of students who were possibly as bored as I would've have been.

When Ping was out of my line of sight, I quickly leaped across to his side of the street, running on the roofs and doing a few flips in the process.

I got the idea to make my way over to my friend Ny-shi's house, but stopped running, remembering that Ny was probably at school. That pig could find every reason not to step one foot out of line, and she'd find every way to push your buttons while explaining said reasons.

In the end, I ditched the idea, and instead decided to visit a few village stores and play with some little kids who were lucky enough to not yet have to suffer the torment of getting an education.

While walking around, I could have sworn I heard someone swooping around me. When I looked up, I didn't see anyone, but I nonetheless decided to take caution and hide in the shadows. If anything, it could have been Crane, and if he was out, that meant the rest of the Five were.

Which meant Dad was, too.

I was careful as to where I went from thereon out, hiding behind trees and blending into crowds of villagers, though it was difficult for a seven-foot tiger to blend in with a bunch of three-foot pigs. I hadn't been in hiding for long when I felt a tap on my shoulder as well as someone shrieking.

So much for blending in.

"That leopard guy!"

"Tai Lung!"

"He's back!"

I turned around with wide eyes, before realizing who it _really_ was.

When I did, I held him in an armlock and he immediately sank to his knees.

"Ow! Ow! I surrender!" Zheng cried, and I watched his eyes quickly well up.

"Did you forget who I am?" I asked, letting him go and helping him stand. He smiled as he jumped back onto his feet.

"Didn't forget," he answered, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was just hoping I could give you a scare. Test you out...heh..."

"And, did I pass?" I asked, crossing my arms. My smirk had yet to fade. "Or do I need a retake?"

"I don't think that's necessary." he responded. I let a snicker escape from my lips as he placed his paws out in front of him, defensively I'd presumed.

"Good thing," I remarked. "I wasn't looking forward to going to school, today."

"I'm guessing you were never there in the first place," he suggested, and I answered with a nod. "Good to know I'm not the only ditcher in that torture chamber."

"You go to Shenyang's?" I asked. I wasn't exactly expecting the son of a criminal to be allowed to step foot in such a peace-obsessed educational platform.

"Not really," Zheng explained. "I usually take every chance I get to skip out; I can't _stand_ it."

"Why not?" I asked. He gave me a weak smile.

"It's uh...not exactly _paradise_ to be bombarded with insults because of your crazy, power-hungry father..." he trailed off, focusing his eyes on the dirt ground. "It's complicated...you wouldn't understand."

"I think I understand _exactly_ ," I reassured. "My dad's been nothing less of a control freak, since you visited."

I then proceeded to do my best impression of my father's current state. I crossed my arms, lunging my stomach forward and bending my chin into my collar bone.

"I'm the Dragon Warrior, and I'm your dad!" I said, in the lowest tone-of-voice that I could. "Respect, respect, respect! Respect everyone and eat your noodles!"

Zheng broke into laughter, holding his stomach and shutting his eyes so tight that I was worried his eyelids would rip. The villagers around us didn't seem to be panicking, anymore. They instead seemed to slowly begin creeping in around us, wondering why "Tai Lung" wasn't attacking anyone, and why he instead was cracking jokes and doubling over in laughter with the daughter of the Dragon Warrior. I saw a few smiles form and began to worry less about getting caught by anyone from the team.

"That was pretty good," he said. "Why don't you and I walk together? You'd have the chance to do some more impressions, while you're at it."

"Is that your way of asking me out?" I asked, throwing him a mischievous grin, while crossing my arms.

"Well, it's a way of asking a _pretty_ girl out, yeah." he answered. I could feel a pink flush slowly trailing its way up my face as I took his paw.

"Why not?" I asked, before noticing the small pig staring up at both of us.

"Why Tai be nice?" she asked, in a softspoken voice. "he mean."

My smile dissipated as I remembered the reason people had been so quick to fear Zheng.

It was rather disheartening, how Tai Lung's actions had left such a mark on the hearts of my village.

"Oh...right," I said, turning to the small crowd. "Don't worry, anyone; this is Zheng, not Tai Lung! He's a friend!"

Everyone took a collective sigh of relief, and I stifled a chortle as they each came up and shook paws, hooves, whatever with the leopard, some introducing themselves, others waving and a few little kids coming up and hugging him.

"Well," he responded. "That was pretty anticlimactic."

I finally let out my restrained laughter before hearing the familiar hiss of a python. Looking to the rooftops, I saw a tiny green form whizz by, as well as that familiar whoosh of Crane's wings.

We were being searched for.

I was being searched for.

"Oh-no." I muttered, quickly snatching Zheng's hand and running off with him.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"We have to hide," I explained. "Dang it, I had no idea that they were on a mission, today!"

"You mean the Furious Five?!" he panicked. I rolled my eyes.

"No, I mean the Fantastic Four!" I retorted, sarcastically. Zheng tilted his head.

"That would be a good story title, ya know." he suggested.

" _Zheng_!" I scolded, unnoticing of what I was about to ram into.

"Uh, Nèizài!" he panicked, again. "You may wanna watch out!"

I turned around, and my face smushed right into a white wall of fur. I landed on top of the leopard, who had landed on his backside.

Looking up, I stared right into the wrathful eyes of the Dragon Warrior. He glared right at me and I gave him an innocent smile.

"Oh, uh...heh..." I squeaked out. "Lovely meeting _you_ here...whatcha doin'?"

"I should ask you the same thing." Father returned, occasionally glancing at Zheng.

"I _told_ you I heard her voice, Po." I heard my mother remind him. He didn't turn his head.

"My apologies for not listening to you." he responded.

It wasn't difficult to tell that we were both in trouble.

~~~

"You were _what_?!"

Dad had dragged both Zheng and me back to the palace, and began interrogating us in the Hall of Heroes.

"How long have you been doing this?!" he asked, but his voice showed me that he was panicking more than he was considering snapping my neck.

Zheng, on the other hand, could fear worse things.

"Pretty much forever," I explained. "Can you believe how many different restaurants you can hide in to avoid Ping?" I excitedly added, holding my fists to my chest.

"Oooh, your mom's gonna _kill_ me..." Dad trailed off, covering his face with his hands and turning around.

"You know, it's not like she has to find out." I informed.

"That's not the _point_ , Nèizài!" he argued. "I sent you to Shenyang's to learn, not to sneak out and hang around with guys like...like...like him!"

He pointed at Zheng, as if blaming him for my ditching school.

"Dad, Zheng's not as bad as you make him out to be!" I argued, taking the leopard's hand. "He's misunderstood because of Tai Lung!"

"If anything, I think he's slowly _becoming_ Tai Lung." Dad remarked.

"Dad!" I cried.

"It's fine, Nèizài," said Zheng. "I'm fine with leaving."

"Zheng, no-" I instructed, but I was cut off by the leopard.

"Nèizài, it's fine," he insisted. "I'll see you in school."

He turned to walk off, before turning back and facing Dad.

"And, Mr. Shan," he addressed, clasping his left hand against his right fist, and bowing. "I advise you to remember: I'm _not_ my father."

With that, he left. I turned back to face the panda.

"Nèizài-"

"You being some famous warrior won't stop me from seeing him, Dad." I spoke.

"But, my _rule_ will," he responded. "I forbid you from seeing him, Nèizài."

"What?!" I exclaimed. "No, but you _can't_!"

"Butts were made for sitting," Dad remarked. "You're banned from seeing Zheng any further; you're to come straight back home after school ends, and I'm sending guards to watch the village in case you sneak out."

"Wh-but that's not fair!-" I tried.

"Not fair?!" Dad exclaimed. ""Not Fair" is having your own kid betray you to go flirting with the son of the enemy!"

"The enemy's father is gone!"

"You don't _know_ that, Nèizài! Neither of us do!"

I fell silent, tearing up. I heard Dad's quiet sigh, and watched him face the floor.

"It's for your own good, Nèizài." he finished, before leaving the hall.

"For my own good, or _yours_?!" I yelled after him.

After he was gone, I kicked the Jade column beside me in frustration.

" _Ow_!"


	5. Chapter 5

I almost fell asleep in another one of Teacher Bǎihé's famous history lessons. I could have cared less about the Zhou dynasty by the time the class was over. However, that wasn't what I had been worried about.

I had been on my way to the last class of the day. On the way there, I could see two Rhino Guards near the front doors.

It didn't take much to figure out who placed them there.

I couldn't have been more upset at Dad than I was today. All of this nonsense, because he was so paranoid that I would go running off to a dead enemy. My mind had been too lost in a mental rant towards my father (who wasn't even at the school) to realize who had just caught up to me.

Her voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Nèizài Měi!"

I jumped, startled, looking to my right.

Ny-Shi.

I gave her a smile before turning to face the next hall, through which we were transversing. Ny-Shi seemed to notice the look on my face as we walked.

"Nèizài?" she asked. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing to worry about," I answered. "Just...something with Dad."

"Aw, is someone having daddy issues?"

The two of us turned around to see a female snow leopard in a silver vest and silk pants. She wore red irises in front of golden scleras.

"I don't see why the walking snowman is worried about it," I smarted back. "It's none of your business, anyways."

I could hear a few people snicker, in the stone hallway as Huā glared at me before plastering a fake smile.

"Well, seeing as there are now guards from the Jade Palace in our school," she began. "I figured that you might be compensating for something. Get into trouble, lately?"

"Go stick your snout somewhere else, Huā," I warned. "No one was talking to you in the first place."

"Don't insult her, Nèizài." one of Huā's friends, Huài, said. Huài was a spoiled panthera. She and Huā apparently had grown up together, so naturally they were very close.

Huā's parents supposedly owned the school.

Huā Shenyang.

Yikes.

"Who said you were a part of this conversation?" I asked.

"Nèizài, I think we should just leave," Ny-Shi suggested, in a whisper. "We don't want to get in trouble."

Huā seemed to overhear that last part.

"Don't want any trouble with your daddy, do we, Nèizài?" she asked, puckering her lips, and batting her eyelashes.

"Shut up, Huā." I warned.

"What are you gonna do?" she asked. "Tell the Dragon Warrior to come smack me around with his stomach?"

I could hear a few people laugh at her remark, and one could practically _see_ the smoking coming from my ears.

"Tell him to lay off the dumplings, okay?" she asked, mockingly. "Don't want him to fall and not be able to get up; though, he probably already struggles with that."

I admit it: I was mad at my father for the punishment he had placed on me, as a result of hanging out with Zheng, but it didn't take away from the anger that I felt building up inside of me every time Huā insulted him.

"Least my father was strong enough to be chosen as the Dragon Warrior," I retorted. "He found a better destiny than running a low-maintenance school and babysitting a bunch of cowards who couldn't do even half the stuff my mother and the rest of the Furious Five do."

"What, a bunch of fake flips and punches?" Huā asked. "I could do the same thing outside in physical education. It doesn't mean anything other than that you have more money."

"Maybe, with the money _you_ have, you could afford some manners," I sassed, hearing a few people gasp, and cover their mouths. Few others laughed at the comeback; I ignored those few. "Though of course, you probably have no idea what those are, do you? Are you too caught up in sitting still and looking pretty? Because far as I know, you're failing."

I didn't even see her fist flying into my face. I slammed against the wall behind Ny-shi and me, holding my snout.

There were more gasps, but I immediately learned to ignore the spectators. I kicked myself back onto my feet, my eyes directly on Huā. She narrowed her eyes, trying to punch me again. However, I caught her fist, pinning her against the opposite wall of the hallway and kneeing her in her stomach. She slapped my arm and face, and on the third strike, I grabbed her other paw, as well as the back of her head, and slammed her against the wooden boards of the wall.

"Nèizài, no!" I heard Ny-Shi yell as Huā grabbed my leg, pulling me to the ground and beginning to punch me in the head. I blocked her fists several times before punching back, but she tried to grab my paw and scratched my eye in the process. I yelled out in pain, grabbing my forehead with both hands, covering my eye after trying to side kick her, before we were separated by the principal of the school and our arithmetics teacher, who had been walking down the hall to the staff's private room and had watched the whole scene unfold. Huā and I stood, panting as I covered my eye with one paw, and wrapped the other around my side.

"I want the both of you in my office, now!" Shenyang yelled.

I could tell it was more directed towards me. I huffed, glaring with one eye at Huā since the other was closed.

~~~

"I was praying for _one_ day," Shenyang began. "Just _one_ day of peace at my school, and you both decide to pull out your claws at the _very_ _last_ _hour_."

"Mo-" Huā began, but she was cut off by the elder leopard, who shushed her.

"I do not want to hear it, Huā." Shenyang interrupted. "We will discuss your punishment at home; for now, you will stay with me until the end of the day."

She then turned to me, and I mentally gulped.

"As for _you_ ," she continued. "I would have expected much _better_ from the daughter of the Dragon Warrior, Nèizài."

My eyes fell towards the wooden boards of her office floor. White and gray smoke billowed from a small plate, the kind that a soothsayer would use on the daily. It gave the room a peaceful aura, yet I couldn't seem to pay attention to it. My mind had been too full worrying about how Father would take what happened.

That question had been answered, rather quickly.

"I have already sent a messenger to your parents-"

"No!" I cut off, standing up from my wooden chair and pushing it back.

"And they will be discussing the matter with you when you get home." she finished. I began to feel as though someone had grabbed my intestines and began twisting them around. Huā gave me a sly grin, not turning her head.

Just then, we heard a knock on the office door.

"Do come in!" Shenyang called.

When the door opened, I felt ready to throw myself out the glass window.

"I'm here to pick up Nèizài," said Master Shifu. He had a light smile on his face, but one could tell that it wasn't genuine. "Her father is unable to, at the moment."

Shenyang nodded. Huā smirked.

"Very well," the principal answered back. "Nèizài."

I didn't hesitate to rush through the door and get the heck out of that building. Shifu was faster, however, and was out before I was, even though he had still been talking to Shenyang.

"You seem eager to go home," he said. "Why is that?"

"No one said I _wanted_ to." I answered.

"Well," he responded. "Where do you want to go?"

"I'm not able to go anywhere," I said. "Not with the guards around."

"You outsmarted the guards at the Jade Palace," Shifu pointed out. "Why can you not do it, again?"

"I don't know." I answered.

"Is it because you are the daughter of the Dragon Warrior?" he asked.

"I don't _know_ , Master." I answered, yet again. He was beginning to annoy me, but fighting would be stupid on my part. I continued to walk.

"Is it because you do not have Zheng to assist you?" he asked.

I broke.

"I don't know, Shifu!" I yelled. "I just want to get back to the barracks!"

Shifu smiled.

"I see." he said. "Well, I understand."

With a flick of his hand, he dismissed me. I raised a brow at him, confused.

What was he doing, and why was he doing it?

I began to continue my walk when I heard him speak again.

"You're afraid, aren't you?" he asked. I turned back to him.

"Wh- _no_!" I snapped. "Why would I be scared of my dad?"

"Oh, I never said you were afraid of _Po_ ," he answered, that same smile still on his face. "You're afraid of _yourself_ , afraid that you have let _him_ down in seeing Zheng twice now, and you do not want to let him down _again_ by admitting to your fight with Huā."

I froze in my tracks for a moment before sighing, and sitting at the bottom of the Thousand steps, studying the patterns on the ground.

"Fine," I said, after a few minutes of silence. "You got me. But, what am I _supposed_ to do? Just walk in and brag to him all about how I punched the daylights out of the principal's daughter?"

I sighed again.

"It's already enough that he thinks Zheng and I are a thing," I continued, as Shifu stood in front of me. "I have to find a way out of this whole situation with Huā."

"Oh, _that_ would be a mistake, would it not?" he asked. "Oogway once said, 'One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it'."

"Well...what _do_ I do, then?" I inquired of him. If anyone knew how to solve the problem, it was Shifu.

After all, he was trained by the greatest Kung Fu master of them all, was he not?

"Apologize." he answered, and another sly grin took form on his face.

"You think he'll-" I began, but I was cut off.

"Oh, I don't mean to your father," he interrupted. "Apologize to Huā-"

"But-"

" _And_ to Shenyang-"

"What about-"

"And to the _Five_ -"

"Master Shifu-"

"And...to your father."

I bit my tongue, staring at the red panda.

"I have seen the grudges you have held against others, Nèizài," he explained. "And if you do not let them go soon enough, they may become a weakness in future battle. Someone once said, 'Anger and hate dig holes, but love and kindness can move mountains'."

He then smiled, nodded his staff, and began his walk up the steps. I watched him slowly dissolve up to the Palace, then looked back to the ground, contemplating what his words.

~~~

I walked into the barracks kitchen, still thinking on what Shifu had said. While I was afraid when I finally saw Dad, who was cooking dinner, I decided not to cause any trouble, tonight.

I mentally told myself to forget about Zheng, and instead focus on the Five and my father.

I looked to the others talking at the table. Crane caught my gaze, yet said nothing. The others seemed to figure out what had him frozen and turned to me. Monkey gave me a lighthearted wave, and I turned my head to see Dad staring at me.

I took a deep breath in, and held my right fist against my left hand, bowing.

"Wǎnshàng hǎo, wǔ diǎn." I said, with a small smile. I then turned to Dad.

"Wǎn'ān, fùqīn." I said to him, before pulling out a chair and sitting, folding my hands in front of me.

When I turned back, Dad was seemingly astonished.

"Uh...good evening," he said, as if the lecture he looked ready to give me had dissipated from his mind. "Hope your school day wasn't..."

He trailed off, turning back to the cooking pot he had been using. I stood from my chair, walking up to him and giving him a hug.

"I know I did wrong, and I'm sorry," I explained. "I hope you can forgive me; not just for the fight with Huā, but everything else, too."

I separated from him. He looked frozen, unknowing of what to do, how to punish me.

"I know you took the time to prepare it, but I think I'm going to be skipping dinner, tonight," I said. "I'm not very hungry."

I then turned and left the barracks. Soon as I knew my footsteps were out of earshot, I booked it towards my room, not looking back.

It wasn't actually a lie; I wasn't that hungry.

However, the reason I wasn't hungry was because I was too busy worrying about Zheng, as well as what could've happened the next day with Huā.

However, halfway to my room I stopped to think; lying in bed and moping about it wasn't going to help; I needed to distract myself.

I knew exactly what could help with that.

I turned in the direction of the training hall and made my way there, instead. I loved training. If there was anything that could make me feel better, it was a good few hits to the Swinging Clubs or Wooden Warriors, or even a few flips and tricks on the Jade Tortoise.

I opened the door rather quick, rushing over to the Seven Swinging Clubs and beginning with a back-aerial, as one of the logs swung towards me. I did this twice before front flipping into a side-kick, as one of the clubs flew near my waist.

I had made it through six of the clubs, but my mother was able to make it through the final one, something no one else was able to do.

As it swung at me, I struck, but was unable to break it as my mother had, before. I sighed, before I began to move on to the Wooden Warriors.

However, before I could get started, I felt the wind of someone flying at me.

I turned to see a figure kicking towards me, and I backflipped against the edge of the courtyard.

When my eyes deciphered who it was, my heartbeat picked up.

Mom.


	6. Chapter 6

_I had made it through six of the clubs, but my mother was able to make it through the final one, something no one else was able to do._

_As it swung at me, I struck, but I was unable to break it as my mother had, before. I sighed, before I began to move on to the Wooden Warriors._

_However, before I could get started, I felt the wind of someone flying at me._

_I turned to see a figure kicking towards me and I backflipped against the edge of the courtyard._

_When my eyes deciphered who it was, my heartbeat picked up._

_Mom._

~~~

She swung her right leg at me, knocking me against the Jade Tortoise. I quickly jumped back onto my feet, getting into a fighting position as she charged at me. I didn't understand what was going on, or why she had suddenly pounced on me, but I didn't have time to worry about it. She threw a roundhouse kick, then a side aerial as I ducked under her leg and barely missed her by a millimetre. I felt her foot push against my stomach and went flying against the edge of the courtyard.

"What are you doing?!" I asked in a shout. Mom didn't answer; she simply smirked, charging at me again. I narrowed my eyes at her, jumping back up and into a flying back kick as she ducked beneath my leg. She grabbed my left arm, flipping me over and knocking the air out of me.

My eyes followed her as she stepped near me and I gasped for breath from the impact of the landing.

"Do you surrender?" she asked, that same grin on her face. I shook my head, earning yet another kick.

" _Do you surrende_ r?" she asked again, though her tone was firmer.

"N-...n-no." I stuttered, feeling as if my insides were bleeding. She nodded, looking in the direction of the door to the training hall.

"Po." she said.

I could feel my heart rate picking up as I sat up, looking to my panda father. He gave me a nod.

"Stand up, Nèizài." he said. I didn't hesitate to do so; this was the first he had spoken to me since he banned me from seeing Zheng.

I could feel the bruises from Mom quickly forming as I stood. I panted, looking between the two of them.

Why had they done this to me?

Had I really been _that_ horrible to them that they decided to pull a fast one?

I could feel my eyes welling up, but I held back, looking to both of them. Dad wasn't slow to get into position, and though I was in pain, I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of watching me cry.

"First move is yours." Dad said.

It took no longer than half a second before I was running at him.

It took _less_ time for the fight to become fast-paced, difficult.

I jumped into the air, aiming a sidekick at him to which he ducked under my leg, grabbing it and slamming me against the ground, and I felt the same spot that Mom had bruised yell out in pain. I let out a subconscious roar and as my paw flew towards my father's face, he grabbed it.

I was less than an inch away from scratching the fur off of his cheek.

In that moment, _everything_ froze, except for a panting tigress and panda.

"Answer me," he said, and it became _instantly_ hard for me to swallow. "Why didn't you give in?"

The only thing that could be heard was heavy breathing as they waited.

"Why didn't you give in, Nèizài?" he asked a second time. I hesitated before opening my mouth.

"You always trained me not to." I answered.

"Why?" he asked.

I didn't have an answer, and shook my head. He lowered the arm that would have hit him and took both of my paws, wrapping them in his.

"When you have something worth fighting for, there's _no_ _excuse_ to surrender," he answered, for me. "Everything we've done in the past week is to _help_ you, not hurt you."

"It feels like you only care about yourselves-"

"Well, stop thinking that." he cut off, and my eyes became suddenly interested in the scuff marks blemishing the wooden flooring.

"Look at me, Nèizài." he ordered, placing a hand on my cheek.

I did so.

"We trust Zheng, okay?" he asked. "What we're _afraid_ _of_ is the background that he came from."

I fell silent, nodding. He sighed, pulling me into a hug.

"I'm sorry for all the times that I yelled at you," he said. "I just wanna protect my little girl."

"Then, what was all the _fighting_?" I asked as my arms wrapped back around him in return.

Well, as far around him as they could _go_.

"It was to give you an example of Tai Lung's fighting technique," Mom answered. I pulled away from Dad's hug, looking to her. "I hope now that you finally understand how little mercy he had shown, during his fight with your father."

I looked between the two of them.

"If Tai Lung were to find you with his son, he'd find a link to the rest of us beginning with you," she continued. "He would be smart enough to figure out that by hurting you, he's hurting us, thus making us into his bait."

"So," I asked. "I...can't see Zheng...at _all_?"

"It's not because of _him_ , Nèizài," Dad reassured. "There's a lot more to the fight between Tai Lung and I that you don't know of."

"Then, tell me," I said. "I'm ready for it."

" _No_ , you're _not_ ," Mom corrected. "If anything, by telling you all the details, your father will only put an overconfidence into your mind and you'll end up doing something mind _less_. When we're ready to tell you, we will."

I sighed as she turned, making her way out of the training hall.

"I expect to find you in bed soon, Nèizài." she called back. I rolled my eyes, as Dad gave me a light smile.

"Hey." he addressed. I turned to him and he pulled me into a side-hug, ruffling the fur atop my head as I laughed.

"I love you, ya little knucklehead." he said, and I returned his smile.

"I love you too, Dad."

~~~

Breakfast was less of a burden the next day.

The only problem is that so much was running through my mind, that Dad had to repeat himself several times before I could process what he was saying.

I was dying to know what went on during that fight between my father and Zheng's. Every part of me was aching for the secrets behind the Great Fight for the Valley of Peace.

The fight for all of China.

"Nèizài?" Dad asked, as I stared mindlessly at the two dumplings in front of me and my untouched bowl of noodles. I shook my head, looking up at him.

"Huh-what? Morning, Father!" I spurted out, my left fist subconsciously sliding into my right palm as I stood up without a second thought.

"You already did your morning greeting, Nèizài," Dad chuckled, raising a brow. "And your soup's getting cold. Hurry up so we can get to training."

I remembered that it was the weekend. Training was always tougher during the weekends, because everyone was using the training hall during that time.

Mantis always liked to find some way to fool me during weekend training.

Not that I minded; it wasn't the first time and I was very sure it wouldn't be the last.

As I tried to finish breakfast, I couldn't but wonder if, for all these years, my father had been training me to fight in case of Tai Lung's return.

If Tai Lung hadn't already returned.

I wondered what the Spirit Realm was like; perhaps, if I made allies (to some extent) with Tai Lung, he would tell me.

Maybe, I could send myself there as Father had with that monster, Kai, back in his panda village...

I wondered about that peacock he had defeated long ago, Shen. I wondered what had ever happened to the wolves that Father used to speak of, whenever telling me the story about Gongmen City. I wonde--

"Nèizài Měi!"

"Whoa-ah!"

I fell out of my chair in fright of Mom's wake-up call. In landing after said fall, I felt a dumpling smack the top of my head and assumed that I somehow knocked it off the table with me. I groaned, and as Crane reached his leg over to help me up I abruptly raised my hand, standing on my own.

"What has gotten _into_ you today?" Father asked. "You seem distracted. Something bothering you, kiddo?"

"Wh- nothing," I lied. "I'm fine; just...tired!"

I fake yawned, stretching.

"So, so tired," I exaggerated. "You know how it is, getting up early. Whoof! Well, uh, heh! Time to get to training, I guess! Gotta...wake those muscles! Yeah! That's it! Ha...Ow!"

I ran into the right side of the doorframe, exiting backwards from the barracks kitchen. Soon as I left, I hid against the wall, mentally sighing as I listened to the others in the room.

"There's something going on." Mom confirmed in a low voice, as if she knew I was hiding.

"You think it was something from last night?" Dad asked.

"She's curious, Po," she explained. "We told her about Tai Lung and now she's growing inquisitive. You better follow her before she goes off and does something she's gonna regret."

"You had me at curious." he remarked, and within a heartbeat I had quietly raced off to the training hall.

On the way there, I ran into someone.

I turned back to see how close Father had been in following me, and my nose bumped right into another's.

Zheng.

~~~

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "You realize Dad is on my tail, right?"

"He's still mad at you?" Zheng asked in return. Answering a question with a question.

Fair enough.

"No!" I exclaimed. "So, go!"

"I just got here!" he argued.

"Yeah, and now you need to leave before the Dragon Warrior belly gongs your face into a pancake!" I scolded. "Why are you even here?"

Zheng grew quiet. The expression on his face seemed to spark something, and I took a moment to calm down, tilting my head and staring at him.

"Zheng?" I asked. "...Why are you here?"

Then, he took my paw, and held it in his.

"I just...wanted to see you."

And then I froze, biting my lip and staring at the ground.

"Look," I said. My father could show up at any minute, and I had to think fast. "I can't see you here, but meet me in the market at evening. The Furious Five and Dad are usually at home by then."

"And, what then?" he asked. I bit my tongue, before answering.

"I'll think of something." I said. He nodded, and I grasped his hands in my own.

"Go, Zheng." I said.

In less than a minute, he had disappeared over the roof of the structure. I took a sigh of relief before hearing voices among the Thousand Steps, and I then rushed inside.

I didn't feel like training inside the courtyard today and instead decided to practice on the Adversary.

I know; it was for children, but it was better than nothing, and there were just too many thoughts running through my head to keep my balance on the Jade Tortoise or break one of the swinging clubs.

I threw a roundhouse kick at the head of the Adversary before side kicking it in its center, watching it fly against the wall. I then took the Walk of Boredom to go and pull it back to its position, so I could kick it against the wall again. I had done this three times.

In my fourth attempt, I heard someone's voice.

"Nèizài."

I turned and the hall was full, Viper in her field of fire, Mantis in his gauntlets, and Mother on the Swinging Clubs.

Father had been standing behind me, watching. When I looked to him, he nodded to the door of the hall.

"Come," he said. "There's something I wanna show you; I think you'll like it."

I nodded, leaving the Adversary behind to follow him. He led me past the normal structures of our home and towards large canyon. We traveled up the steep hills the canyon provided until we reached a lake.

I took a moment to look around, and take in the environment that lay behind red rocks and hot weather.

The water in the lake was crystal clear, as if nothing had ever existed in it. Behind us was a large cave, small puddles scattered around inside.

I looked back to the panda.

"What is this?" I asked.

"Just thought I'd show you around," he explained, a grin on his face. "This is where Shifu first trained me after I was chosen to be the Dragon Warrior; Oogway used to meditate here, all the time."

I frowned a little at the mention of Oogway, before sitting near the lake cross-legged. I could feel Dad's steps as he came over and sat next to me. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder as I looked to the gently shimmering water.

"...Dad?"

"Yes, Nèizài Měi?"

"What was....what was Oogway like?" I asked. "You know...when you saw him after fighting Kai...even before then?"

Father chuckled.

"He was amazing," he explained. "Wise, and after he entered the Spirit Realm, he was even wiser. You would have loved him."

I nodded, biting my tongue, again, before asking one more question.

"And...what was Tai Lung like?"


End file.
